Football has been a way of life for Gabe Contento. Reminiscing the beginnings of how it came into his life, throwing the ball around since he was a young child with his dad and grandfather. Things got a little more serious when he reached age 5 and started playing organized ball. Then things hit a new gear when he turned eight, that's when tackle ball started. Gabe always played quarterback, but he wasn't shy of helping the team when needed elsewhere, spending some time at wideout, defensive back and at times even finding himself returning kicks and/or punts. Gabe's Freshman year tasked him with being the JV quarterback, then as a Sophomore, he entered the season as the Varsity backup. Got some playing time, eventually earning the starting spot that year and helping the team to their first-ever 3A playoff appearance. Gabe hasn't looked back since.
Contento's favorite memory playing ball came in 2019 in a playoff game against Miami Edison. Gabe recalls playing a loaded Miami Edison team with some D1 commits. The game was tied 7-7 late in the 4th quarter. Contento explains that his coach called a toss right, but on the previous play, the young QB saw the backside DE was crashing hard and the outside linebacker on the same side committing inside hard to stop the run. So, young Gabe faked the toss, booted back out left, and took the ball 40 yards to the biscuit for the game-winning touchdown. It was the school's first 3A playoff win.
Working has also been a way of life for Contento, from film to dieting and working out, the offseason is an everyday grind. This shows in Gabe's career stats. Gabe has lost only 5 games in the past 7 years as a quarterback. Currently, he is 16-4 as a Varsity starter. Yes, he passes for touchdowns, yards, etc., but let me explain something remarkable, when I asked Gabe Contento for his stats, the only one he cared to share was winning. I do not think many athletes, this young would come back with that answer. Many guys boast and talk about themselves, in a pseudo narcissist way. Not this kid, it has been team and family first. Can't say I run into a lot of that, especially for not only great athletes but great quarterbacks. We looked at Gabe's film to find his best game yet, we found him playing against Pine Crest. A rival school. The previous year the game ended 35-34 Pine Crest. 364 days later, the score was 40-3 Gabe ran for 4 TDs in that game, which still is a school record.
Gio VitulliGio is a football coach, founder of Elite Force Performance and Bleechr contributor. Gio and EFP have helped over 1,400 athletes secure college scholarships. www.eliteforceperformance.com #BeELITE
